The present invention relates to a novel sulfur-containing compound and molecular compound comprising the sulfur-containing compound as a component compound.
Molecular compounds are compounds where two or more compounds are bonded via a comparatively weak interaction other than covalent bonds as typified by a hydrogen bond and by van der Waals force. Because molecular compounds have a quality that allows them to dissociate into original component compounds by a simple manipulation, recently, their application has been anticipated in such spheres as selective separation of useful substances, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, sustained release formulation, pulverization and the like.
One example of specific molecular compounds includes a clathrate compound and, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei-6-166646 discloses clathrate compounds of tetraxis phenols with various organic compounds.
However, no molecular compound has been found which has satisfactory performance in selective separation, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, sustained release formulation, pulverization and the like, due to problems in that the compounds are readily disintegrated by changes in external factors such as heat and pH, and compounds are easily dissociated in solutions in the conventional art.
The subject of the present invention is to provide a novel molecular compound which exhibits excellent performance in technical spheres such as selective separation of useful substances, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, sustained release formation, pulverization and the like.
As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, it has been found that a novel sulfur-containing compound derivative having triphenyl or tetrakisphenylthio skeleton exhibits excellent performance in technical spheres such as selective separation of useful substances, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, sustained release formulation, pulverization, and the like, thereby the present invention has been completed.
That is, the present invention relates to a sulfur-containing compound represented by formula (I): 
wherein each R independently represents a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C6 alkyl group which may have substituents, an alkenyl group which may have substituents, an aryl group which may have substituents, a chlorine atom or a bromine atom; m represents an integer of 0, 1, or 2; Z represents formulae (II) through (V): 
wherein R and m are the same as defined in the above; W represents a hydrogen atom, or a C1 to C6 alkyl group which may be substituted; and Y represents a direct bond, an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbons, or a phenylene group.
The invention further relates to molecular compounds such as clathrate compounds comprising the sulfur-containing compound represented by the above formula (I) as a component compound, and to molecular compounds such as the above-mentioned clathrate compounds comprising as component compounds the sulfur-containing component as well as an anti-microbial agent, anti-fungal agent, insecticide, insect repellent agent, perfume, deodorant/anti-odor agent, anti-foulant, curing agent and curing accelerator for painting, resins and adhesives, natural essential oil, anti-oxidant agent, vulcanization accelerator or organic solvent which reacts with the sulfur-containing compound to form a molecular compound.
The molecular compound of the present invention is a compound where two or more component compounds which can each exist in a stable and independent manner are bonded through a comparatively weak interaction by other than covalent bonds as typified by a hydrogen bond and Van der Waals force, and includes hydrates, solvates, addition compounds, clathrate compounds and the like.
In the sulfur-containing compound represented by formula (I), the substituents represented by R can specifically include, for example, a hydrogen atom, straight-chain, branched or cyclic C1 to C6 alkyl groups such as methyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, n-hexyl, cyclohexyl groups and the like, alkenyl groups such as allyl, vinyl, 2-butenyl, 1-methylallyl groups and the like, aryl groups such as phenyl, 2-pyrizyl, 1,3-dimethyl-5-pyrazole groups and the like, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, and the like.
The above C1 to C6 alkyl, C2 to C6 alkenyl, and aryl groups may be further substituted with a cyano group; a halogen atom such as a fluorine, chlorine and bromine atoms; and an aryl group such as a phenyl group.
In the formulae (II) through (V) which represent Z in the formulae (I), (VI) and (VII), the same substituents as the above can be exemplified as R, and W can specifically include, for example, a hydrogen atom, straight-chain, branched or cyclic C1 to C6 alkyl groups such as methyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, n-hexyl, cyclohexyl groups and the like, which may be further substituted with a fluorine atom, halogen atom and the like.
Y can include a direct bond, alkylene groups having 1 to 3 carbons such as methylene, ethylene, propylene and the like, or a phenylene group. Substituted positions in the phenylene group are not particularly limited, and either the 1,2 position, the 1,3 position or the 1,4 position may be substituted. Also, the phenylene group can have substituents thereon other than the necessary binding positions.
In the formulae (VI) and (VIII) of the present invention, Rxe2x80x2 can exemplify the same substituents as the aforementioned R.
And among the sulfur-containing compounds represented by formula (I) of the present invention, the compounds represented by formula (VI), particularly by the general formula (VIII) are preferable in terms of performances such as selective separation of useful substances, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, sustained release formulation and pulverization. The compound represented by formula (VII) not only has clathrate ability but also is useful as an intermediate of the compound represented by formula (VI).
The compound of the present invention can be yielded by the following process for the production.
(Reaction 1) 
Among the compounds represented by formula (I), the compound represented by formula (VII) can be yielded by chlorosulfonating the corresponding phenylalkane or phenylalkene in an organic solvent such as dichloromethane at room temperature. In this case, Z represents the same substituents as those in the aforementioned formulae (II) through (V), but it is unexacting even if there is no substituent S(O)mR on the phenyl group in the formulae (II) through (V).
(Reaction 2)
Among the compounds represented by formula (I), the compound wherein R is represented by a hydrogen atom and m is represented by 0 can be yielded by reducing the compound represented by formula (VII) obtained by Reaction 1 with a reducing agent such as LiAlH4, NaBH4 and the like in the organic solvent such as THF. 
(Reaction 3)
Among the compounds represented by formula (I), the compound wherein R is represented by a C1 to C6 alkyl group which may have substituents and m is represented by 0 can be yielded by alkylating the compound given in (Reaction 2) with halogenated alkyl and the like in a solvent such as water, alcohol, ether, THF and the like in the presence of a base such as alcoholate, metallic hydride, organic metal, metalhydroxide and the like. When the mercapto group forms disulfide, alkylation can be carried out after treating with a reducing agent such as NaBH4. 
(Reaction 4)
Among the compounds represented by formula (I), the compound wherein R is a C1 to C6 alkyl group which may have substituents and m is 1 or 2 can be yielded by oxidizing the compound given in (Reaction 3) with an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide solution or m-chloroperbenzoic acid in the suitable solvent. 
(Reaction 5)
Among the compounds wherein Z is represented by formula (V), for the compound wherein Y is a direct bond, the compound wherein Z is represented by formula (IV) may be first synthesized by (Reaction 2) followed by being reduced by a reducing agent such as alkali metals. 
(Reaction 6)
The compounds wherein R are different can be synthesized, for example, as follows.
First, in (Reaction 3), all thiol groups are rendered to cyanoethylthio groups using cyanoethylbromide and the like as halogenated alkyl, and subsequently an equivalent amount of CsOH corresponding to the number of substituents to be substituted and an excess amount of alkyl iodine are added resulting in being capable of substituting parts of cyanoethyl groups with alkyl groups and the like. When an excess amount of CsOH is added thereto to hydrolyze and acid is added, the cyanoethylthio group can be converted to the thiol group.
By the above manipulations, it is possible to partially introduce the target substituent into the thiol group. For example, a case where the methyl group is desired to be introduced into one position is as follows. 
Compounds capable of being synthesized in these ways are shown in Tables 1 through 4.
Substances which form molecular compounds together with the sulfur-containing compounds represented by formula (I) in the present invention may be any of those capable of forming the molecular compounds together with such sulfur-containing compounds, and specifically exemplify water, alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, n-octanol, 2-ethylhexanol, allyl alcohol, propargyl alcohol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, cyclohexanediol, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, 2,2-dibromo-2-nitroethanol, 4-chlorophenyl-3-iodepropargylformal and the like, aldehydes such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, n-butylaldehyde, propionaldehyde, benzaldehyde, phthalaldehyde, xcex1-bromcinnamaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde and the like, ketones such as acetone, methylethyl ketone, diethyl ketone, dibutyl ketone, methylisobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, acetylacetone, 2-bromo-4xe2x80x2-hydroxyacetophenone and the like, nitriles such as acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, n-butylonitrile, malononitrile, phenylacetonitrile, benzonitrile, cyanopyridine, 2,2-dibromomethylglutarnitrile, 2,3,5,6-tetrachloroisophthalonitrile, 5-chloro-2,4,6-trifluoroisophthalonitrile, 1,2-dibromo-2,4-sicyanobutane and the like, ethers such as diethyl ether, dibutyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, tetrahydropyran, dioxirane, trioxane and the like, esters such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, n-heptyl acetate, bis-1,4-bromoacetoxy-2-butene and the like, sulfonamides such as benzene sulfonamide and the like, amides such as N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, dicyandiamide, dibromnitrilepropionamide, 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilepropionamide, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide and the like, halogenated hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane, chloroform, dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and the like, lactams such as xcex5-caprolactam and the like, lactones such as 68-caprolactone, oxiranes such as arylglycidyl ether and the like, morpholines, phenols such as phenol, cresol, resorcinol, p-chloro-m-cresol and the like, carboxylic acids and thiocarboxylic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid, benzoic acid, phthalic acid, salicylic acid and the like, sulfamic acids, thiocarbamic acids, thiosemicarbazides, ureas and thioureas such as urea, phenyl urea, diphenyl urea, thiourea, phenyl thiourea, diphenyl thiourea, N,N-dimethyldichlorophenyl urea and the like, isothioureas, sulfonyl ureas, thiols such as thiophenol, allyl mercaptan, n-butyl mercaptan, benzyl mercaptan and the like, sulfides such as benzylsulfide, butylmethylsulfide and the like, disulfides such as dibutyldisulfide, dibenzyldisulfide, tetramethyltiuramdisulfide and the like, sulfoxides such as dimethylsulfoxide, dibutylsulfoxide, dibenzylsulfoxide and the like, sulfones such as dimethylsulfone, phenylsulfone, phenyl-(2-cyano-2-chlorovinyl)sulfone, hexabromodimethylsulfone, diiodemethylparatorylsulfone and the like, thiocyanates and isothiocyanates such as methyl ester thiocyanate, methyl ester isothiocyanate and the like, amino acids such as glycine, alanine, leucine, lysine, methionine, glutamine and the like, amide and urethane compounds, acid anhydrides, aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene and the like, alkanes, alkenes, alkines, isocyanates such as butyl isocyanate, cyclohexyl isocyanate, phenyl isocyanate and the like, thiocyanates and isothiocyanates such as methylene bisthiocyanate, methylene bisisothiocyanate and the like, nitro compounds such as tris(hydroxymethyl)nitromethane and the like, acyclic aliphatic amines such as ammonia, methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, butylamine, pentylamine, hexylamine, allylamine, hydroxylamine, ethanol amine, benzylamine, ethylenediamine, 1,2-propanediamine, 1,3-propanediamine, 1,4-butanediamine, 1,5-pentanediamine, 1,6-hexanediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, dipropylenediamine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N-ethyl-1,3-propanediamine, triethylhexamethylenediamine, alkyl-t-monoamine, methanediamine, isophoronediamine, guanidine, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)aminomethanol, cyclic aliphatic amines such as cyclohexylamine, cyclohexanediamine, bis(4-aminocyclohexyl)methane, pyrrolidines, azetidines, piperidines, piperazines such as piperazine, N-aminoethylpiperazine, N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethylpiperazine and the like, pyrrolines and the like, aromatic amines such as aniline, N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, o-phenylenediamine, m-phenylenediamine, p-phenylenediamine, diaminodiphenylmethane, diaminodiphenylsulfone, m-kylenediamine and the like, modified polyamines such as epoxy compound addition polyamine, Michael addition polyamine, Mannich addition polyamine, thiourea addition polyamine, ketone blockade polyamine and the like, imidazoles such as imidazole, 2-methylimidazole, 2-ethylimidazole, 2-isopropylimidazole, 2-n-propylimidazole, 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole, 1-benzyl-2-methylimidazole, 2-undecyl-1H-imidazole, 2-heptadecyl-1H-imidazole, 2-phenyl-1H-imidazole, 4-methyl-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole, 1-benzyl-2-methylimidazole and the like, heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen such as pyrrole, pyridine, picoline, pyrazine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazole, triazole, benzotriazole, triazine, tetrazole, purine, indole, quinoline, isoquinoline, carbazole, imidazoline, pyrroline, oxazole, piperine, pyrimidine, pyridazine, benzimidazole, indazole, quinazoline, quinoxaline, phthalimide, adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil, 2-methoxycarbonylbenzimidazole, 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-methanesulfonyl pyridine, 2,2-dithio-bis-(pyridine-1-oxide), N-methyl pyrrolidone, 2-benzimidazole methyl carbamate, 2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide sodium, hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine, hexahydro-1,3,5-triethyl-s-triazine, 2-methylthio-4-t-butylaminio-6-cyclopropylamino-s-triazine, N-(fluorodichloromethylthio) phthalimide, 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, 2-methoxycarbonylbenzimidazole, 2,4,6-trichlorophenylmaleimide and the like, heterocyclic compounds containing oxygen such as furan, furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydro furfuryl alcohol, furfuryl amine, pyran, coumarin, benzofuran, xanthane, benzodioxane and the like, heterocyclic compounds containing both nitrogen and oxygen such as oxazole, isoxazole, benzoxazole, benzoisoxazole, 5-methyl oxazolidine, 4-(2-nitrobutyl)morpholine, 4,4xe2x80x2-(2-ethyl-2-nitrotrimethylene)dimorpholine and the like, heterocyclic compounds containing sulfur such as thiophene, 3,3,4,4-tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide, 4,5-dichloro-1,2-dithioran-3-one, 5-chloro-4-phenyl-1,2-dithioran-3-one, 3,3,4,4-tetrachlorotetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide and the like, thiazole, benzothiazole, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one, 2-methyl-4-isothiazolone-3-one, 4,5-dichloro-3-n-octylisothiazoline-3-one, 2-octyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one, 1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one, 2-thiocyanomethylbenzothiazole, 2-(4-thiazoryl)benzimidazole, heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen and sulfur such as 2-thiocyanomethylbenzothiazole and the like of which a component compound is a sulfur-containing compound derivative having triphenyl or tetrakis phenyl, steroids such as cholesterol and the like, alkaloids such as brucine, kinin, theophylline and the like, natural essential oils such as cineol, hinokitiol, menthol, terpineol, borneol, nobour, citral, citronellol, geraniol, menthone, eugenol, linalool, dimethyloctanol and the like, synthetic perfumes such as fragrant olive, jasmine, lemon and the like, vitamins and related compounds such as ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, nicotinic amide and the like.
The molecular compound of the present invention can be provided by mixing the sulfur-containing compound represented by formula (I) with the above-described substance which forms a molecular compound together with a sulfur-containing compound directly or in the solvent. In the case of a substance with low boiling point or with high vapor pressure, the target molecular compound can be provided by reacting the vapor of these substances to the carboxylate derivative of the present invention. And also, the molecular compound composed of multiple components such as three or more components can be provided by reacting two or more of such substances with the carboxylate derivative of the present invention. Furthermore, the target molecular compound can be provided by first generating the molecular compound of the carboxylate derivative of the present invention with a specific substance, to which another substance is subsequently reacted in the above-described method.
In the molecular compound of the present invention, the ratio of component compounds comprising this sometimes varies depending on its generation condition. It can be verified that the substance provided by the above-described method is certainly the molecular compound by thermal analysis (TG and DTA), infrared absorption spectra (IR), X-ray diffraction pattern, solid NoM spectra and the like. Also, the composition of the molecular compound can be verified by thermal analysis, 1H-NMR spectra, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), elementary analysis and the like.
The molecular compound of the present invention is preferably crystalline, and in particular, more preferably, a crystalline clathrate compound in terms of performance such as selective separation of useful substances, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, pulverization for the purpose of stably producing a molecular compound with a constant composition. Under such circumstances, even identical molecular compounds sometimes have crystalline polymorphism. Verification of crystallinity can be performed by mainly examining an X-ray diffraction pattern. Also, the presence of crystalline polymorphism can be verified by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction pattern, solid NMR and the like. Here, the clathrate compound indicates a substance where there are appropriate sized holes inside of a three dimensional structure made from binding atoms or molecules, and other atoms or molecules penetrate therein by an interaction of a non-covalent bond with a constant composition ratio. Here, it is not necessarily required that the holes are formed by one component compound alone which comprises the clathrate compound. They may be formed only when the clathrate compound is made from two component compounds.
The usage mode of the molecular compound of the present invention is not particularly limited and, for example, two or more types of molecular compounds each made of different component compounds may be used by mixing. Also, the molecular compound of the present invention can be used in combination with the other substances unless such a mixture impairs the target functions. The molecular compound of the present invention can be used by adding an excipient and the like to form granules and tablets. Additionally, it can be used by adding into resins, paints, and their materials and material compositions. The molecular compound of the present invention as it is can be used as such as material of organic synthesis or as a specific reaction field of the molecular compound.
For example, the clathrate compound where the sulfur-containing compound represented by the general formula (I) is a host compound and isothiazolone based insecticide such as 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one, 2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one and the like, anti-microbial/insecticide/insect repellent agent such as hinokitiol, 1,8-cineole and the like, perfume such as rosemary and the like, anti-foulant such as isothiazolone based compounds and the like, catalysts such as a curing agent for epoxy resins such as phthalic acid anhydride, tetrahydrophthalic acid anhydride, 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazile and the like and curing accelerator for epoxy resins such as 1,8-diazabicyclo(4,5,0)undecene-7 and the like, or organic solvent such as toluene, xylene, pyridine and the like is a guest compound, is newly imparted with functions such as a sustained release, reductions in skin irritations, chemical stabilization, non-volatilization, pulverization, selective separation of useful substances, in addition to actions which the guest compound originally has, and is highly useful as a germicidal agent, anti-microbial agent, insecticidal/insect repellent agent, perfume, anti-foulant, catalyst of curing agent for epoxy resins, or organic solvents.
Since the sulfur-containing compound represented by formula (I) of the present invention also functions as a bidentate ligand, it can form a coordination compound together with metallic ions. The metallic ions which form the coordination compound together with such sulfur-containing compounds can exemplify, for example, gold, platinum, copper, zinc, nickel, iron and the like.
The sulfur-containing compounds of the present invention can be utilized for making ultrafine particle immobilized films of metal, since it is capable of forming self-assembled monolayers and of binding to metal. The ultrafine metallic layer films can be utilized for electronic device production technology, particularly adhesive materials of electronic devices.
Also, the self-assembled monolayers in which water-repellent substituents are introduced can be utilized for water-repellent treatment of devices having ultrafine structures.
In addition to these, utilization for lithography and for oriented films as polyimide alternatives are possible.
The present invention is described in detail according to examples, but the invention is not limited to these examples.
It can be verified that the resultant substance is a coordination compound by thermal analysis (TG and DTA), infrared absorption spectra (IR), X-ray diffraction pattern and the like. Also, the composition of the coordination compound can be verified by thermal analysis, atomic absorption analysis, elementary analysis and the like.